In Hurricane Matthew’s aftermath, listen more, lend a hand to feel ‘blessed’

It is perplexing to me how people use religious language to describe their feelings about anticipating and facing a hurricane or some other natural disaster. Is it wise to invoke theology in the aftermath of an event such as a hurricane?

One recent online religious publication published a headline: “Hurricane Matthew is the wrath of God poured out on the cities of Orlando and Savannah for supporting the evil Sodomites.”

Another faith tradition asked; “Is there a blessing for a hurricane?” Their answer was “Blessed are you, Lord our God, king of the universe, whose power and might fill the world.”

A headline in the Savannah Morning News read, “Hurricane’s blow was less than feared; ‘We are blessed.’ ”

There are so many different explanations and theories about why the hurricane occurred and how we are supposed to react in the aftermath of this great storm. What do we say in response to what we experienced and especially in front of others who had more or less damage than we did?

We search to find the right words to express how we feel in the aftermath of such an event of nature. We search for language to explain why we either escaped the damaging effects of Hurricane Matthew or the opposite and ask, “Why did so much destruction befall our homes and property?”

If someone claims that he or she must have been blessed because they avoided damage, then what does that mean to the next person who is reeling from severe structural damage to their home? Does that mean that they weren’t blessed? In other words, if one person is blessed for having little or no little damage then is the other person cursed?

My advice is to be careful with what we say in front of neighbors and friends when describing our circumstances, especially if they had significantly more damage than us. I also question if attributing the hurricane to God fits either? I mean how does that give us strength to believe if God does this to our earth and our communities? Yes, a hurricane can teach us how vulnerable we are in life, but does that mean God caused the storm as a form of punishment?

I fully believe that giving thanks to God for surviving a storm is totally appropriate even if we believe that God didn’t cause the hurricane. Giving praise to God for instilling in us the compassion and strength to help others or the humility to receive help from our neighbors also fits the occasion. Right now, isn’t the most important blessing to contribute funds to help folks who have abandoned their homes and who need temporary shelter, food and clothing? Is it not fitting to ask God for the strength to keep at it each day to make progress with the cleanup and restoration of our homes, our streets and our communities?

I am reminded of a passage from 1 Kings regarding an encounter the prophet Elijah had with God after having fled to the desert and hid in the wilderness. “There was a mighty wind, splitting mountains and shattering rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still, small voice.”

What did Elijah hear in that “still small voice?” Was it his own voice he heard or God’s?

A prophet is supposed to speak, but in this moment Elijah listened. There are times today when listening to someone else’s story and suffering is more important than focusing on our own. God speaks to us in different ways, and we must realize that the hurricane is not the will or the voice of God but an occasion for the reflection. Can silence give us the strength and hope we need to help others? Maybe that silence is exactly where God’s presence is?

I did not feel blessed that I escaped the degree of damage I witnessed. I did feel relieved and fortunate, but I could not utter the word “blessed” in the presence of other people’s sufferings. I am working on using words such as “encouraged,” “grateful” and “reassured” to express the hope and the need to cope with the challenges before not only myself but also my community.

I have talked to many people over the last few weeks. Some folks who escaped any damage privately shared with me that they have what we call “survivor’s guilt.” In other words, they had no damage, and they feel almost remorseful that so many of their friends are contending with all sorts of issues. My suggestion is to pass on the word “blessed” for having no damage, and instead, think about saying less and doing more for others.

We might feel blessed when we can help others who are struggling now rather than measuring how little damage we sustained during Hurricane Matthew.

This story was originally published October 31, 2016 at 6:24 AM with the headline "In Hurricane Matthew’s aftermath, listen more, lend a hand to feel ‘blessed’."